Switch mechanism.



0 D. WIEMER. SWITGH MECHANISM.

APPLIOATIO N FILED MAY 9, 1910.

Patented Dec. 13,1910.

"41 NGIRII PETER! CH1, WASHINGTON, 11

CHARLES D. WIEMER, 015 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

Application filed May 9, 1910. Serial No. 560,372.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. WInMnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Switch Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for con trolling the circuits of one or a plurality of series of lamps in an electrolier, and has especial reference to that class of controlling mechanisms carried by what is commonly known as pull-sockets.

An object of this invention therefore is to provide a mechanism for controlling a plu rality of series of lamps, by means of which the lamps may be progressively lighted and those lighted, extinguished, without the lie cessity of advancing the mechanism to include all. of the lights in the light circuit, so that when. one lamp is lighted, that particular lamp may be immediately extinguished, and likewise with a series of lamps.

lVith these and other objects in View, this invention consists of the features, details of construction and combination of parts, de-' scribed in connection with the accompany ing drawing and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section and partly broken away, showing the switch controlling mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper plate or disk, showing the contact members and the binding posts for the wires. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on the lines indicated by Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4; is a plan view showing the pawl and the member for disengaging the pawl from the ratchet. Fig. 5 is a plan detail of the disengaging member. Fig. 6 is a plan detail of the pawl, and Fig. 7 is a. plan detail of the switch showing the ratchet teeth.

In the socket shell 1. of an electric fixture is mounted the operating mechanism of the switching device, consisting of two plates or circular disks 2 and 3 of non-conducting material, which disks are held spaced and connected by metallic braces, 4 and 5. Said brace 47 is provided with a binding post 6 to which feed wire 7 is secured; the return wire 8 is fastened to a binding post 9 provided in the brace 5. Between said disks 2 and 3 and extending inwardly therefrom, are a plurality of spring contacts 10, 11, 12

and 13. The contact 10 is fastened to the brace 1 as seen in Fig. 1, while the contacts 11, 12 and 13 depend from and are free of said disk 2, being mounted on ears 1 1, 15 and 16 which are secured to said disk 2 by screws 17. Said ears 14, 15 and 16 are severally provided with binding posts 18, 19 and 20 to which the wires 21, 22 and 23 are arranged to be connected, which wires lead to a series of lamps in the chandelier. Disposed approximately centrally of said disks 2 and 3 is an arbor 21. On said arbor is mounted in an oscillatory manner, a switch 25 in line with but normally out of engagement with said contacts 10,11,12 and 13, such normal position of said switch 25 being insured by a spring 26 coiled about said arbor 24 and having one end thereof fastened to said switch 25 while the other end is fastened to a detent 27 provided 011 a corrugated disk 28. The said switch 25 is provided with a stud 29 which is held in engagement with a lug 30 provided on the disk 2, by the said spring 26. Said aforementioned arbor 2 1 is grooved as seen at 30 to accommodate the said corrugated disk 28, which fits in a rabbet 31 in the disk 2, and which corrugated disk serves the two fold function of increasing the tension of said spring 26 when the arbor is turned for this purpose, and also to prevent the accidental rotation of said arbor 24 when the spring has been tightened. The aforementioned switch 25 is provided on the bottom thereof with downwardly extending lugs or teeth 32 preferably made integral therewith. Below said switch 25 and in operative relation to the teeth or lugs 32 thereof, is a pawl 33 provided on a grooved segment 34 to which is attached a pull chain 35 for operating said segment and causing said pawl 33 to engage the lugs or teeth 32 of the switch whereby to rotate and cause the same to successively engage the contacts 10, 11, 12 and 13. Said segment 34 is mounted in an oscillatory manner, on said arbor 24 and is under the tension of a. spring 35 which normally holds the said segment in contact with a lug 36 provided on the plate or disk 3. On a boss 36 fastened to the disk 3 is a stop member 37 extending in line with the lugs or teeth 32 of the switch 25 and also in line with the said pawl 33, and this stop member serves to prevent the rearward rotation of said switch when pawl 33 under its spring tension returns to normal positi on, preparatory to engaging another of the lugs or teeth of the switch. As is obl vious the alternate pull and release of the chain 35 causes a sc/a'czim engagement of the I switch 25 with the contacts 10, 11, 12 and 13, the stop member 37 holding said switch in engagement with the contact or contacts when the pawl 33 under tension of spring 35, returns to normal position. Mounted in an oscillatory manner, on said arbor 21 as a releasing or wedge finger 38 secured to a ment 59 provided with a groove 40 for the accommodation of a chain or pull-cord ll. This linger lies in a direct line with said aforementioned stop member 37 and pawl and is also under the tension of the above referred to spring 35, which holds said finger 38 in inoperative position and in engagement with a lug t2 provided on the disk 3. lVhen the pull cord a1 is operated, the finger 38 depresses the stop member 37 and also the pawl 33, leaving thereby the switch 25 free to respond to the tension of the spring 26 and return to normal position, thereby breaking contact with all of the contacts 10, 11, 12 and 13. The operative position of said finger relatively to said stop member and pawl is clearly shown in Fig.

The tension of the spring 35, which serves to hold both the pawl 33 and the releasing finger 38 in inoperative position, is regulated by a collar 43 to which one end of said spring is attached. This collar is slotted and is arranged to be slipped on and to turn with said arbor to tighten said spring. By means of a spring 4 1 bearing against the bottom of said collar 13, the corrugated plate is held in snug contact with the rabbet in the disk 2. Both chains 35 and 41 extend through bell tubes 15, which are made integral with posts 4C6 provided with arms -17. These arms are arranged to fit in lips 18 of plates t9 which are secured to the disk 3. and the arms t6 are fastened onto the outside of said plates a9 by screws or by any other suitable means. Said plates are fastened to the under side of the disk by screws 51.

lVhat I claim is- 1. A switch mechanism comprising a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact, means to move said movable contact in engagement with said stationary contacts, means to hold movable contact in engagement with said stationary contacts, and a means to disengage said moving means and said holding means from said movable contact to leave said movable contact free to return to normal position and out of engagement with said stationary contacts.

2. A switch mechanism comprising a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable spring-controlled contact normally out of engagement with said stationary contacts,

means to move said movable contact in successive engagement with one or all of said stationary contacts, means to hold said movable contact in such engagement, and a means to move said moving means and said holding means out of the path of said movable contact to cause said movable contact to return to normal position.

3. A switch mechanism comprising a plurality of stationary contacts adapted to receive the wires for a series or a plurality of series of lamps, an arbor, a contact movable on said arbor, a spring to normally hold said movable contact out of engagement with said stationary contacts, means to move said movable contact in engagement with one or all of said stationary contacts, a stop to hold said movable contact in engagement with said stationary contacts, and means to control said stop to cause a disengagementof said movable contact with one or all of said stationary contacts.

4. A switch mechanism comprising a plurality of stationary contacts arranged to receive the wires for a series or a plurality of series of lamps, an arbor, a spring controlled movable contact on said arbor provided with a ratchet face, a pawl to engage said ratchet face and move said movable contact in successive engagement with one or all of said stationary contacts, a stop to hold said movable contact against the tension of said spring, and a means to move both said pawl and stop out of engagement with said ratchet face to cause a disengagement of said mov able contact with one or all of said station ary contacts.

In a switch mechanism, the combination with a plurality of spaced plates, and a plurality of stationary contacts to which the wires of a series or a plurality of series of lamps are arranged to be connected, of an arbor carried by said plates, a contact movable on said arbor, and in engagement with said stationary contacts, a spring to hold said movable contact normally out of en gagement with said stationary contacts, a pawl to move said movable contact in engagement with one or all of said stationary contacts, a stop to prevent the return of said movable contact to normal position, and a means on said arbor and between said movable contact and pawl, to move said pawl and stop out of engagement with said movable contact to cause a disengagement thereof with one or all of said stationary contacts.

6. In a switch mechanism, the combination with a plurality of spaced plates, and a plurality of stationary contacts to which the wires of a series or a plurality of series of lamps are arranged to be connected, of an arbor, means to hold said arbor against movement, a switch on said arbor, a spring to normally hold said switch out of engagement with said stationary contacts, a pawl in operative relation to said switch, and actuable to successively bring said switch in engagement with one or all of said stationary contacts, a stop to hold said switch in its moved position, and means to move said pawl and stop out of engagement with said switch to cause same to return to normal position and out of engagement with said stationary contacts.

7. I11 a switch mechanism, the combination with a plurality of spaced plates, provided with a plurality of resilient contacts to which wires of a series or a plurality of series of lamps are arranged to be connected, of an arbor between said plates, a corrugated disk to hold said arbor against movement, a switch on said arbor provided with a ratchet face, a spring to normally hold said switch out of engagement with said contacts, a spring controlled pawl in engagement with said ratchet face and operable to successively move said switch in engagement with one or all of said contacts, a yielding stop to hold said switch in such engagement, and a wedge movable between said pawl and ratchet face to disengage said pawl and said stop from said ratchet face, to cause said spring controlled switch to return to normal position.

8. A switch mechanism comprising a plurality of stationary contacts, a movable contact normally under spring tension and out of engagement with said stationary contacts, means to move said movable contact in successive engagement with one or all of said stationary contacts, a stop to hold said movable contact when so moved against the tension of said spring, and a wedge member to disengage said moving means and stop for said movable contact to cause same to return to normal position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES D. VVIEMER.

Witnesses:

F. SNovnR, ANTON GLoE'rzNER, Jr. 

